How Orioles can barge through the door and crash Brewers' Freddy Peralta trade talks

Mike Elias has got his big bats with the Taylor Ward trade and the thrilling Pete Alonso signing. He's figured out one huge piece of the bullpen puzzle, signing Ryan Helsley to handle closing duties. Now, he just needs to procure a front-of-the-rotation starter for the Baltimore Orioles.

There is no shortage of options. Framber Valdez and Michael King are believed to be two of their top free-agent preferences. Former Philadelphia Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez could be an option as well. On the trade market, they've also circled Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera's name.

However, the best option might be a trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, and the Orioles are lurking in those talks as well. Baltimore might have just what Milwaukee wants as well, and could crash the party, coming away with the ultimate prize.

Here's how the Orioles could snatch away Freddy Peralta from the Brewers

The list of suitors for Freddy Peralta is long. You have division rivals like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the mix, as well as other contenders such as the San Francisco Giants, the New York Mets, and the Houston Astros.

That will make swinging a trade an expensive proposition; however, it's a cost that the Orioles can bear. And they should. Keeping Peralta out of New York or Boston is almost as good as watching him lead your rotation, and the good news is that with an affordable $8 million salary, he won't prevent them from signing another starter in free agency to truly transform the rotation.

Obviously, the Orioles and Brewers have a history of these kinds of deals, with the Corbin Burnes trade not that far back in the rearview mirror, and these kinds of relationships can always help grease the wheels.

Milwaukee is coming off a Major League-leading 97-win campaign, so while they're open to dealing their ace, that doesn't mean they're rebuilding. Instead, they've made it a habit of replenishing their talent reserves by trading expiring assets for young, cost-controlled talent, allowing them to remain competitive on a shoestring budget.

Compared to the other suitors, Baltimore has that and then some. While the Yankees could offer up someone like Jasson Dominguez or the Red Sox could part with promising youngster Marcelo Mayer, both clubs currently have those two plugged in for crucial roles in 2026.

By virtue of making their big splashes early, Baltimore has flexibility. Bats like Colton Cowser or Dylan Beavers fit what Milwaukee looks for and could be expendable. The same goes for Coby Mayo, who still has sky-high potential but is completely displaced by Pete Alonso.

Any of those three could be an upgrade over Jake Bauers in left or Andrew Vaughn at first for Milwaukee, and all three are just beginning their big league journeys.

The Brewers might want a starter back as well, and that's where this requires some creativity. Baltimore could still pursue Edward Cabrera in a second deal and ship off a guy like Kyle Bradish, who still has three years of team control.

Lastly, with a strong farm system, the Orioles can dip into their prospect reserves to put a deal over the top. Enrique Bradfield Jr. is a position player who is almost big league ready, which could be enticing, while pitchers like Trey Gibson or Nestor German could fit the bill.

If Elias can truly put a bow on this, his work will nearly be done, and fans can rest easy knowing that the team is vastly better equipped to compete in 2026 than they were in 2025.